The present invention relates to computers and input devices therefore and, more particularly, to computers and Radio Frequency Identification-based input devices.
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is a technique of automatic identification that has been gaining popularity over the past several years. It has been of particular interest for its potential in inventory control and analogous data handling processes.
As explained in Radio Frequency Identification—RFID, A Basic Primer, AIM WP-98/002R, The Association for Automatic Identification and Data Capture Technologies
(http://www.aimglobal.org/technologies/rfid/resources/papers/rfid_basics_primer.htm), which is incorporated by reference, in an RFID system, data is carried in transponders (derived from TRANSmitter/resPONDER), also referred to as “tags”. The data may provide for identification of an item in manufacture, goods in transit, a location, the identity of a vehicle, an animal, or an individual. The data on the transponders can be entered by the manufacturer or, in some cases, can be entered at a point remote from the manufacturer. A reader for reading the transponders and some means of communicating the data to a host computer is also provided.
Communication between the transponder and the reader is wireless and generally occurs either by inductive coupling or by propagating electromagnetic waves. Generally, the transponder is made as a lower power integrated circuit suitable for interfacing to external coils or utilizing “coil-on-chip” technology, for data transfer and power generation. Depending upon the sophistication of the device, the transponder will include a memory that may be in the form of a read-only memory, a random access memory, or non-volatile programmable memory. The transponder may be “active” and be powered by a power source such as a battery, or “passive” with no internal power source. The transponder includes an antenna that permits the transponder to sense an interrogating field from the reader and, in some circumstances, a programming field, and also serves as the means for transmitting the transponder response to interrogation.
As explained in U.S. Pat. No. 6,285,295, which is incorporated by reference, in operation, a reader will generate a radio frequency. When the integrated circuit is within the field of the reader, energy to activate the integrated circuit is obtained via induction. The energized integrated circuit loads an antenna circuit of the transponder according to a program of the integrated circuit. The loading of the transponder antenna is detected as a pattern of voltage changes on the reader's antenna circuit. The changes are converted into logical data bits using standard decoding methods and the data is then interpreted by the host computer.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,285,295 discloses a passive remote programmer for induction type RFID readers. Keys on a keypad are associated with different switches and integrated circuits, each integrated circuit being programmed to transmit a unique identification code when activated by a field of the reader. Closing any one of the switches connects a corresponding one of the integrated circuits to an antenna coil to produce a unique tag. The reader is programmed to identify the tags. For the reader to recognize the keypad and permit programming of the reader, the keypad must be proximate the reader and a unique key on the keypad must be actuated. Other tags such as might be provided in a card-type of tag are also provided but require only proximity to the reader.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a computer having at least one input device includes an input device including at least one RF transponder that is controllable by a user to be selectively capable or incapable of transmitting a signal. The computer also includes a computing arrangement including a reader and a microprocessor, the computing arrangement being adapted to receive and decode the signal from the at least one RF transponder. The computer includes a display adapted to display information represented by the signal.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a computer having at least one input device includes an input device including at least one RF transponder that is configured as part of an RFID device, the at least one RF transponder being controllable by a user to be selectively capable or incapable of transmitting a signal. The computer also includes a computing arrangement including a reader and a microprocessor, the computing arrangement being adapted to receive and decode the signal from the at least one RF transponder. The input device includes a pointing device.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a computer input device includes an input device including at least one RF transponder that is configured as part of an RFID device, the at least one RF transponder being controllable by a user to be selectively capable or incapable of transmitting a signal. The input device is adapted to cooperate with a computing arrangement including a reader and a microprocessor, the computing arrangement being adapted to receive and decode the signal from the at least one RF transponder. The input device includes a pointing device.